--- description: U.S. lawmakers are proposing a bill to cap maximum speeds of commercial trucks at 65 mph. CSCS discusses the dangers of speeding tractor-trailers. title: Lawmakers Propose Setting Commercial Truck Speed Limiters at 65 MPH canonical: https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/2019/08/lawmakers-propose-setting-commercial-truck-speed-limiters-at-65-mph/ date_published: 2019-08-03T01:14:00+00:00 date_modified: 2025-11-20T15:36:03+00:00 practice_area: blog --- - Lawmakers Propose Setting Commercial Truck Speed Limiters at 65 MPH # Lawmakers Propose Setting Commercial Truck Speed Limiters at 65 MPH Last Updated: November 20, 2025 - Reading Time: 4 minutes Trusted Content ![090424_CSCS_APE30](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/090424_CSCS_APE30-r7ld7n5zxjd9ezimssquc85jvnm28x0iit481i4iwo.jpg) Legally Reviewed by Allan Siegel Updated 9 months ago [Home](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/) » [Recent Posts](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/) » Lawmakers Propose Setting Commercial Truck Speed Limiters at 65 MPH [![Best Law Firms - Regional Tier 1 Badge](https://www.bestlawyers.com/Badges/Metro/35728/17508/15/washington-d-c/O/Detail.png)](https://www.bestlawfirms.com/firms/chaikin-sherman-cammarata-siegel/35728/US) What's On This Page [Case Results](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/case-results/) $18.8 Million - Car Crash $2 Million - Car Crash $1.9 Million - Car Crash $1.37 Million - Car Crash $1.1 Million - Car Crash $1 Million - Car Crash [View All Practice Areas](https://chaikinandsherman.com/practice-areas/) [Testimonials](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/testimonials-hub/) [They were adamant about getting me the best settlement. Torkwase Akinalana Car Accidents](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/testimonials-clients/they-were-adamant-about-getting-me-the-best-settlement/) [Proved to be the perfect advocate Michael Bizik Car Accidents](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/testimonials-clients/proved-to-be-the-perfect-advocate/) [I highly recommend the law firm of Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata, and Siegel P.C. Anna Pastel-Powell Car Crash](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/testimonials-clients/i-highly-recommend-the-law-firm-of-chaikin-sherman-cammarata-and-siegel-p-c/) [Mr. Siegel’s strong conviction, dedication, and determination prevailed in a legal victory. Gail Payne Car Accidents](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/testimonials-clients/mr-siegels-strong-conviction-dedication-and-determination-prevailed-in-a-legal-victory/) [I knew I was in good hands once I stepped into their office. Gladys Ibeh Car Accidents](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/testimonials-clients/i-knew-i-was-in-good-hands-once-i-stepped-into-their-office/) [They treated me like I was their only client, from beginning to end. Joy Lopez Car Accidents](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/testimonials-clients/they-treated-me-like-i-was-their-only-client-from-beginning-to-end/) Contact Us Today! "*" indicates required fields Name* First Last Name* Last Email** Phone*Are you a new client?*Are you a new client? *Yes, I'm a potential new client.No, I'm a current existing client.I'm neitherCase TypeCase TypeMotor Vehicle AccidentSlip & FallAssaultMedical MalpracticeAbuseWork InjuryOtherWere You at Fault?Were You At Fault?NoYesUnknownWhere Did The Incident Occur?Where Did The Incident Occur?Washington, D.C.VirginiaMarylandOtherDid The Accident Occur In the Last Two Years?Did The Accident Occur In the Last Two Years?YesNoShare Brief Description of the Incident* Send Watch our attorneys explain how they fight for car accident victims across DC, Maryland, and Virginia. With over $1 billion recovered, our team knows how to build a winning case — from investigation through trial. Video Transcript **Speakers:** Ira Sherman, Joseph Cammarata, Stephen Ollar, Allan Siegel **Ira Sherman (00:02):** I would say that Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata and Siegel has a completely different outlook on cases that other people think are garden variety automobile accidents, because to the person who is involved in that accident, that’s not garden variety, that’s altering their life. **Joseph Cammarata (00:21):** First of all, we don’t advertise. People come to us by word of mouth, either from defense lawyers, from insurance companies, from colleagues at the bar. They know that we have decades of experience in the personal injury field. They know that what we bring to bear is a group of lawyers that work and non-lawyers that work as a team to make sure we understand what the nature and the extent of the injury is. We make sure we understand and can express to a third party just what those injuries are, and we work to obtain the most compensation that we can for an individual. **Stephen Ollar (01:04):** What we do a lot of is discovery, not just discovery of the facts of the case, but discovery about insurance. It may be that the individual was operating the vehicle for an employer, and if they were acting with what we call the course and scope of their employment, then there could be potentially additional coverage that would cover a person for those injuries. **Allan Siegel (01:27):** We’ve been handling car accident cases since Don Chaikin founded this firm over 50 years ago. Since we spend a lot of time and we have a lot of those cases, we have developed a level of experience and knowledge that I think is very unique in our field. There aren’t many law firms who can say that they’ve been doing this type of work for over 50 years. **Ira Sherman (01:52):** I care enough to look to determine who this person is and how it affected them, and that takes up a lot of my conversation with our clients. A bipartisan bill introduced by a Republican and Democratic senator is proposing a major change for the trucking industry: capping the top speed of commercial trucks at 65 MPH. **Here are some details about the bill:** - **The bill** – The *Cullum Owings Large Truck Safe Operating Speed Act of 2019 *(S.2033) was introduced in late June by Senators Johnny Isakson (Georgia) and Chris Coons (Delaware). - **The reason** – The bill is named after Cullum Owings, a young man who was tragically killed by a commercial truck while returning to college after spending the Thanksgiving holiday with his parents. Cullum’s father, Steve Owings, is President and Co-Founder of Road Safe America, a road safety advocacy organization and major backer of the bill. - **The requirements **– Under the bill, speed-limiting devices would be mandatory for commercial trucks weighing 26,001 pounds or more, and must be set at 65 mph at all times. The Department of Transportation would also be required to establish rules for ensuring speed limiters are accurate and that they effectively keep trucks within the accepted speed limit. Hailed by the Senators as a “lifesaving road safety measure,” the new measure is an attempt to do what lawmakers have previously failed for roughly a decade to achieve: codifying a clear federal law on the maximum speed for large trucks and tractor-trailers. Similar measures have been proposed in Congress, most recently in 2016, but those efforts were shot down under the current administration. Although many commercial trucks are currently equipped with speed-limiting technology, use of such technology is optional for operators. As Steve Owings noted when commenting on the bill, the loss of his son was a tragedy compounded by knowing his death could have been prevented if all trucks were required to use speed limiting technology. The time, he and other advocates agree, has long passed for regulators to compel truckers and trucking companies into using critical and widely available safety measures like speed limiters. ### Insight Into the Trucking Industry: Profits First, Safety Last The Owings are unfortunately not the only family to suffer as the result of a commercial truck accident which arguably could and should have been prevented. Over the years, it’s become clear trucking companies and the trucking industry at large place their priorities squarely on their profits, rather than the public or people who share roads with these large and dangerous motor vehicles. On our blog, we’ve discussed how the trucking industry’s “profits-first” agenda is anything but subtle, particularly in relation to proven safety measures the industry is reluctant to adopt or support for the sole premise that it may cut into their bottom line. **A few examples include:** - [Side-underride guards](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/) – Side-underride accidents involve vehicle passing underneath the side of a large truck, and they hundreds of injuries and deaths each year. Though they have been proven to save lives, are mandatory for the rear of trucks, and are required in countries across the world, there’s no mandate in America for trucks to have these safeguards. - [Sleep apnea regulations](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/) – Despite the fact that sleep apnea makes drivers 5x more likely to be involved in serious crashes, regulators publicly stated they won’t pursue specific regulations to directly test and regulate drivers diagnoses with this condition. - [Increased weight limits](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/) – Trucking companies have been boisterous in their efforts to increase the maximum weight of trucks from 80,000 pounds to 91,000 pounds, even though the added weight means longer stopping distances, reduced responsivity, and greater chances for crashes. In the past few years alone, the trucking industry and many lawmakers (presumably those with favorable relationships with industry lobbyists), have continued to support new measures that sacrifice safety at the expense of money, look to block proposed safety measures, or aim to rollback existing safety-oriented laws altogether. That includes dangerous practices such as: - Extending truck driver’s work weeks; - Discouraging the widespread adoption of wireless technology (like [ELDs](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/2018/04/trucking-industry-targets-electronic-logging-devices/)) for oversight; - Lowering the [minimum age for truck drivers](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/) from 21 to 18; - Easing [regulations on driver fatigue](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/2016/12/congress-suspends-trucking-safety-rules-to-ease-regulations-on-driver-fatigue/); - Slow implementation of proven crash-avoidance technologies; An industry unbound by clear and reasonable safety regulations, and equipped with tremendous leverage over lawmakers, has had real, disastrous consequences – for victims like Cullum Owings and his family, and for anyone on or near our roadways. In fact, [trucking fatalities have increased](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/2019/02/as-truck-accident-fatalities-increase-federal-regulators-are-still-reluctant-to-require-crash-avoidance-technologies/) in America, and experts like those at NTSB – which included crash-avoidance technology and sleep apnea training in its latest “[Most Wanted List](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/2019/02/national-transportation-safety-board-releases-annual-list-of-most-wanted-safety-improvements/)” – say the problem is due in large part to an industry that lacks meaningful safety regulations. ### Proven Advocacy for Truck Accident Victims Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C. has covered the trucking industry extensively throughout the years. While there are some safety “victories” here and there, there have been far more regulatory rollbacks and stagnated proposals. It’s a sad story that is unfortunately not new nor exclusive to the trucking industry; it’s something many major industries and corporations have in common. It’s also a sign of the devastating toll that can accompany a zealous, tunnel-vision pursuit of profits. Even as the trucking industry looks to pad its pocketbooks through regulatory and political interventions, the stories of real people and the efforts of genuine advocates have the power to bring change. Part of that comes with holding truckers and trucking companies accountable for regulatory violations, shortcuts, and negligence in civil personal injury or [wrongful death](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/wrongful-death/) cases. Our team at https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/iStock-912151500-scaled-1.jpg helps clients throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia seek accountability through these means, as well the financial compensation they deserve. *Have a potential truck accident case in the DMV region? [Contact us](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/contact-us/) to speak with a lawyer.* [Watch Our Video Testimonials](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/testimonials-hub/) ![Main CSCS Video - Thumb 1](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/1.png) Get free advice about the compensation you deserve. At Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C., our car accident attorneys fight tirelessly to secure the compensation you deserve, handling every aspect of your case to protect your rights. Trust us to stand by you and advocate aggressively on your behalf. [Free Case Evaluation](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/contact-us/) Visit Us in Person 1232 17th St NW Washington, DC 20036 The car accident lawyers at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C. serve the entire Washington, D.C. metro area, including [Virginia](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/car-accidents/virginia/) ([Northern Virginia car accident cases](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/car-accidents/northern-virginia/), [Arlington](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/car-accidents/auto-accident-attorneys-in-arlington-va/), [Fairfax County auto accident claims](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/car-accidents/fairfax/), [Woodbridge](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/car-accidents/woodbridge-va/), [Manassas](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/car-accidents/manassas-va/), and [Alexandria](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/car-accidents/alexandria/)) and Maryland ([Bethesda](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/car-accidents/bethesda/), [Hyattsville](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/car-accidents/hyattsville/), [Rockville](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/car-accidents/rockville/), [Lau Top 10 Mistakes Made After an Accident Review these common auto accident mistakes to protect your rights. READ OUR E-BOOK](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/car-accidents/laurel/) Meet Our Team [Learn More About Us](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/about-us/) Ira Sherman Partner Licensed in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and New York With over four decades of courtroom experience, **Ira Sherman** is a powerhouse trial lawyer who has won justice for countless victims of serious injury, discrimination, and medical malpractice. Known for his relentless advocacy, compassion, and proven results, he’s the attorney clients trust when everything is on the line. [Ira Sherman's Bio](https://chaikinandsherman.com/attorney-profiles/ira-sherman/) Joseph Cammarata Partner Licensed in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia A dual board-certified civil trial attorney, **Joseph Cammarata** is nationally recognized for his fierce advocacy, landmark legal victories, and relentless pursuit of justice for victims of serious injury, wrongful death, sexual assault, and civil rights violations. With wins against powerful opponents—including a historic U.S. Supreme Court case securing equal access to justice—he’s the attorney clients trust when they need skill, strength, and results that matter. [Joe Cammarata's Bio](https://chaikinandsherman.com/attorney-profiles/joseph-cammarata/) Allan M. Siegel​ Partner Licensed in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia **Allan M. Siegel** is a board-certified trial attorney and partner at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C., known for securing justice in serious personal injury, brain injury, and wrongful death cases. Recognized as one of Washington’s *Top 100 Super Lawyers®* and a *Best Lawyer®* in America, he combines strategic precision, courtroom skill, and relentless advocacy to win full and fair compensation for his clients. [Allan Siegel's Bio](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/attorney-profiles/allan-m-siegel) Stephen Ollar Partner Licensed in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia **Stephen Ollar** is an award-winning trial attorney and U.S. Army veteran dedicated to holding negligent individuals and corporations accountable. Recognized as a *Super Lawyers Rising Star* from 2020–2025, he’s known for his tenacity, precision, and unwavering pursuit of justice in personal injury, auto accident, and medical malpractice cases. [Stephen Ollar's Bio](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/attorney-profiles/stephen-ollar/) ## Related Articles [Read More Blog Articles](/blog/) ### [Why Some Insurance Companies Take Longer to Settle After a Car Accident in Washington, DC](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/car-accidents/why-some-car-insurance-companies-take-longer-to-settle/) ### [Washington, DC Tint Laws](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/car-accidents/washington-dc-tint-laws/) ### [Why Insurance Companies Lowball Car Accident Settlements in Washington, DC](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/car-accidents/lowball-car-accident-settlements/) ### [Economic VS Non-Economic Damages In Washington, DC Car Accident Cases](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/car-accidents/economic-vs-non-economic-damages/) ### [How Speeding Affects Liability In a Washington, DC Car Accident Case](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/car-accidents/excessive-speed/how-speeding-affects-liability/) ### [Car Accident Lawyer Arlington, VA](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/car-accidents/arlington/) ### [Should You Talk To the Other Person’s Insurance Company?](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/car-accidents/other-drivers-insurance/) ### [100 Deadliest Days of Summer](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/car-accidents/100-deadliest-days/) ### [How To Deal With Insurance Adjusters](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/car-accidents/what-to-do-after-a-car-accident/insurance-adjusters/) Brain Injury ### [Liability and Umbrella Insurance Protects You and Your Family](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/2021/12/liability-and-umbrella-insurance-protects-you-and-your-family/) As we enter a new year, it is the perfect opportunity to take stock of [Read More »](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/2021/12/liability-and-umbrella-insurance-protects-you-and-your-family/) 12/16/2021 Car Accidents ### [The Courts Have Reopened and the Doors are Wider Than Ever](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/2021/08/the-courts-have-reopened-and-the-doors-are-wider-than-ever/) For months, the coronavirus pandemic practically shut down the courts in the District of Columbia, [Read More »](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/2021/08/the-courts-have-reopened-and-the-doors-are-wider-than-ever/) 08/25/2021 Car Accidents ### [Law Firm Receives Super Lawyers Awards for 11th Consecutive Year](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/2021/08/law-firm-receives-super-lawyers-awards-for-11th-consecutive-year/) The 2021 Washington, DC Super Lawyers® annual list of “Top Lawyers” was recently featured in [Read More »](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/2021/08/law-firm-receives-super-lawyers-awards-for-11th-consecutive-year/) 08/25/2021 Bus Accidents ### [School Bus Safety](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/2021/08/school-bus-safety/) There are more than 471,000 school buses on the roads every day. School bus safety [Read More »](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/blog/2021/08/school-bus-safety/) 08/18/2021 ```json-ld {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"LegalService","@id":"https://chaikinandsherman.com/#firm","name":"Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel Personal Injury Lawyers","url":"https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/","telephone":"+1-202-659-8600","email":"publicrelations@dc-law.net","logo":"https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/new-logoBaskerville@2x.png","image":"https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/cscs-firm-photo.jpg","description":"Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel is a Washington D.C. personal injury law firm with decades of experience representing accident victims throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia.","foundingDate":"1969","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"1232 17th St NW","addressLocality":"Washington","addressRegion":"DC","postalCode":"20036","addressCountry":"US"},"founder":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Joseph Chaikin","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"1232 17th St NW","addressLocality":"Washington","addressRegion":"DC","postalCode":"20036","addressCountry":"US"}},{"@type":"Person","name":"Ira Sherman","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"1232 17th St NW","addressLocality":"Washington","addressRegion":"DC","postalCode":"20036","addressCountry":"US"}}],"employee":[{"@type":"Attorney","name":"Allan M. Siegel","jobTitle":"Founding Partner","email":"asiegel@dc-law.net","telephone":"+1-202-659-8600","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"1232 17th St NW","addressLocality":"Washington","addressRegion":"DC","postalCode":"20036","addressCountry":"US"}},{"@type":"Attorney","name":"Joseph Cammarata","jobTitle":"Founding Partner","email":"jcammarata@dc-law.net","telephone":"+1-202-659-8600","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"1232 17th St NW","addressLocality":"Washington","addressRegion":"DC","postalCode":"20036","addressCountry":"US"}}],"areaServed":[{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"Washington, D.C."},{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"Maryland"},{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"Virginia"}],"contactPoint":{"@type":"ContactPoint","telephone":"+1-202-659-8600","contactType":"customer service","areaServed":"US","availableLanguage":"en"},"knowsAbout":["Personal Injury Law","Motorcycle Accidents","Car Accidents","Medical Malpractice","Truck Accidents","Brain Injury Cases"],"sameAs":["https://www.linkedin.com/company/chaikin-sherman-cammarata-&-siegel/","https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjeO2vc67zgjYKFqnnmP51g","https://www.facebook.com/CSCSLaw/","https://x.com/CSCSLaw"]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://chaikinandsherman.com/blog/2019/08/lawmakers-propose-setting-commercial-truck-speed-limiters-at-65-mph","url":"https://chaikinandsherman.com/blog/2019/08/lawmakers-propose-setting-commercial-truck-speed-limiters-at-65-mph","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://chaikinandsherman.com/#website"},"about":{"@id":"https://chaikinandsherman.com/#firm"}},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://chaikinandsherman.com/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Blog","item":"https://chaikinandsherman.com/blog"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"2019","item":"https://chaikinandsherman.com/blog/2019"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"08","item":"https://chaikinandsherman.com/blog/2019/08"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":5,"name":"Lawmakers Propose Setting Commercial Truck Speed Limiters At 65 Mph","item":"https://chaikinandsherman.com/blog/2019/08/lawmakers-propose-setting-commercial-truck-speed-limiters-at-65-mph"}],"speakable":{"@type":"SpeakableSpecification","cssSelector":[".entry-content",".post-content",".page-content","article","main"]}}]} ```